Get off the PMS rollercoaster
6. Get vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 relieves PMS because it's a diuretic, so it helps reduce water retention. According to Woolven, it also increases the production of feel-good neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, thereby helping to alleviate nervousness, irritability and depression. Plus, your body needs B6 for magnesium -- another PMS helper -- to work at its best, reports Murray.
Try these foods with vitamin B:
-peas
-fish
-whole grains
-cabbage
-cauliflower
-eggs
-seaweed
7. Magnesium and calcium
Studies reveal that women with PMS have lower magnesium levels than women without it, reports Woolven. A lack of magnesium can lead to several PMS-related symptoms, including headaches, fatigue, mood swings, irritability and aches and pains.
Eat magnesium-rich foods every day, with:
-pumpkin seeds
-dark green leafy vegetables (bok choy, Swiss chard and kale)
-dried figs
-tofu
-brown rice
-seaweeds
-seafood
Woolven also reports that calcium can help relieve and prevent PMS, so eat these calcium-rich foods:
-collard greens
-sardines
-salmon
-almonds
Throughout the month, follow these eating tips and take one or two tablespoons of flaxseed oil every day (for its phytoestrogens!) and your ride on the PMS rollercoaster will surely improve.
Find more Women's Health articles in Health & Fitness.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
-Choosing a gynecologist
-Natural PMS relief
-10 things women want to know about menopause
Aileen Brabazon, CNP, is a freelance journalist and holistic nutritionist based in Toronto.
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